Hi Folks,
Here in Austin... long, hot, fabulous day. Democracy for Texas and My Vote is My Voice have done one heck of a job in organizing and staging DemocracyFest 2005.
Jane and I arrived late last night. We flew from Albany, NY to Chicago to Austin. Unfortunately our luggage decide to take a later flight from Chicago to Austin so we were in rough shape when we arrived last night. Luckily it found it's way to the hotel by the time we woke this morning so fresh clothes and toothbrushes (and ethernet cables and power supplies) were available to start the day.
The good stuff below...
Arrived at the Hutson-Tillotson campus shortly after start time and participated in the DFA State Leaders Brainstorming session. Good stuff. Fuller room then I was expecting. I figured a lot of folks would arrive later in the day (they did) and didn't expect so many to be here from the start (they were). We followed that session up with one on how to be a better meetup host and how to grow out meetups. I participated in a breakout session on starting new meetups where we focused a lot on how to reach out into unrepresented parts of our states and communities. Lots of good ideas. They (DFA and the host organizations) are suppossed to be gathering all the ideas together and supplying a later transcript of it. I hope so cuz I didn't keep up with the notes.
The heat was... hot.
We broke for lunch and I headed back to the hotel where I called for a car rental. Decided walking from hotel to event wasn't going to part of the weekend's agenda. I love weather of all sorts (except icy rain and tornados directly over my head) but I ain't no fool either.
Missed the early afternoon session by Pam Paul and Ralph Miller on Rootcamp Mentoring which has me bumming but it just didn't work out.
We came back later for part of the blogging caucus. Interesting to see during the introductions just how many candidates for Texas state and federal offices were in attendance. Texas may be a Republican controlled state but that doesn't mean there aren't any Democrats or that they aren't out there working their butts off to take back their state. Just as an FYI... the LBJ Library is just up the road from here. If I have a few spare minutes I may go pay it a visit.
Met all sorts of my favorite bloggers from Blog for America, many of whom are staying here in the same hotel. The blogging caucus was hosted by the Austin Kossacks so this site is well represented too.
Then a break for a few back at the hotel before heading off to Threadgill's for dinner, good company, and music from the Asylum Street Spankers. They were great! Good music, excellent style and humor.
Back at the ranch and blogging over at BFA, now a diary here, and shortly bed. Long, full day ahead tomorrow. If my fingers don't fry in the sun I'll repport back tomorrow evening on day #2.
Peace,
Andrew